South Island - Westland - Amethyst Hot Springs

Natural hot water pools on the side of a Westland river. Take industrial strength sandfly repellent and a camera - it's a beautiful location and a unique experience. The pools may need to be dug out or at least cleaned out, take a spade in with you if you can, it will make life easier

South Island - Otago - Remarkables lookout

From Queenstown, take State Highway 6 south and turn up the Remarkables Skifield road. The road has spectacular views of the region as it climbs. Don't go up it if you can't handle heights. Park at the skifield carpark (S45.05373 E168.81391) 1,619m ASL and put your hiking boots on. If it's winter the Shadow Basin chairlift may be running which will take you most of the way up. If not... start walking up. It's a pretty stiff walk up to the Shadow Basin end of the chairlift, but worth it (374 meters higher than the carpark) Take warm clothes etc as it's exposed. A fair degree of fitness needed as well

On the road down, if you can find somewhere safe to pull over, it's pretty cool to watch 737's land and take off at the Queenstown airport below.

South Island - Nelson - Kaiteriteri

South Island - Nelson - Riwaka Resurgence

Right at the base of the Takeka hills, the Riwaka River emerges from a cave. The water is freezing cold - brass monkey material, but it is a cave diving favorite. A short bush walk along a well formed track with steps and handrails.

South Island - Kaikoura - Seals in a waterfall

Quite unique - for most of the year seal pups swim up a stream and spend the day in the safety of a fresh water stream and waterfall. The pool at the bottom of the waterfall is full of seal pups. An easy path follows the stream up from the roadside to the waterfall.